


Happy Habits

by TheReviewess



Series: Heroics Run In The Family [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 15:17:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17869688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheReviewess/pseuds/TheReviewess
Summary: It was a strange habit that Aerinwyn Mahariel did, tapping her lips with the barest hint of a smile.





	Happy Habits

It was a strange habit that Aerinwyn Mahariel did, tapping her lips with the barest hint of a smile. In the beginning of their travels, it happened so rarely that she never noticed it, but as they travelled more, Leliana saw it more often. After they left the Dalish and made their way towards Denerim (and towards Marjolaine. That wasn’t something Leliana was looking towards), Leliana saw it less and less. It was one of those things that the Warden did that she never quite noticed until she, well, stopped. 

“You’ve stopped,” Leliana commented quietly to the Warden as she took her seat. 

Like before, Mahariel took to sitting a little bit away from their group. She was isolating herself again. After having to leave her daughter, again, Leliana could sort of see the reason for her isolation. The Warden was hurting. Badly. And she didn’t want anyone to see it. She was a strange elf in that aspect. But, Leliana supposed that as their leader, Aerin felt the need to keep her emotions to herself.

“Excuse me?”

“The thing where you touch your lips and smile,” Leliana clarified, “I noticed it awhile back and then you stopped. Why?”

The Warden froze. Leliana cocked her head to the side. Then Aerin relaxed, slightly. 

“‘S stupid,” Aerin muttered back.

“I’d love to hear it, if you are willing to share, of course.” Leliana still occasionally put her foot in her mouth, especially after they left the Dalish camp. She had to think on some things and she realized how blind her worldview had been. That had been a few days ago. Aerin had been mad for the first two days and ignored Leliana’s existence during that time. Now she was at least willing to let Leliana speak to her. 

She would take it. And do her best to  _ not  _ be stupid about her wording.

After a moment of hesitation, Aerin spoke. “I was always an angry kid, I guess. My… mother,” She asked out. It seemed like a foreign word coming from her mouth. At least, judging by the Warden’s face. Leliana briefly remembered that the Warden’s parents were gone, like hers. “Well she once told me that when I felt happy, I should touch my fingers to my lips. I thought it was stupid, but it stuck, I guess.”

“So you do that whenever you feel happy?” Leliana asked, making sure to keep her voice down.

“Yeah. I guess. Not much to be happy about now, though.”

Leliana just nodded, quite unsure of what to tell her. 

They traveled the next few days, neither bringing up Aerin’s habit, until they arrived in Denerim. They had taken on Marjolaine. Well, Marjolaine fled with her tail between her legs after Aerinwyn gave her one of the harshest tongue lashings that Leliana have ever seen. Even Morrigan had been impressed. The young elf even got into a fist fight with the woman before practically chucking  Marjolaine out of the building.\

“The next time I see you, I’ll kill you!” Aerin roared at the woman. Fen’Falon barked angrily in agreeance.

They both had such a temper. It was cute.

As they watched the woman flee, Leliana noticed a proud smirk on the elf’s face. And then, wordlessly, in full sight of Leliana, she raised her bloodied hand and let her fingers touch her lips. The sight of her tapping her lips brought joy to Leliana’s heart. It was the first time she saw Aerin happy since they left the Brecilian Forest and the sight of the Warden happy made her happy, too.


End file.
